This invention relates to an exerciser for disabled persons such as paraplegics, quadraplegics and the like.
Various types of exercise devices have long been known for providing therapeutic treatment for children and adults who have different degrees of disabilities, as well as for providing healthful exercise. The above-identified U.S. patents are representative of such devices.
The known devices have been subject to a number of disadvantages. For example, some persons tend to develop spasms in their limbs during use of the prior exercisers. Furthermore, as the ability to use the limbs improves, the person may wish to use his own muscle power to turn the hand cranks on a temporary basis, and not rely on motorized driving. In devices such as above U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,993, which use a motor and clutch drive, the motor and/or clutch must be disengaged to provide the desired free wheeling. This is disadvantageous to one who wishes to "try his own wings" with his arms for only a few seconds or minutes at a time. In addition, the known prior devices include an attached seat for the operator, thus making them impossible for use by a wheelchair confined person. Also, while highly desirable fully protective housings for the apparatus are known, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,749, fore-and-aft adjustment of the hand crank arms with such a housing have previously not been possible.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the above-described disadvantages.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, limb supports are provided for reducing limb spasms during exercising and holding the limbs in place. The lower supports are adapted for attachment to the foot pedals and are generally L-shaped in section for supporting the foot and calf of the leg. A tether holds the support in position when it is not in use. The upper supports are removably secured to the hand grips and support the operator's wrist and forearm. Both supports are strapped to the appropriate limb.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention,the motorized drive for the lower and upper crank arms includes a clutch of the overriding type so that the operator can temporarily use muscle power to turn the hand cranks faster than the speed of the motor drive itself without deactivating the motor drive or disengaging the clutch or changing the drive of the pedals.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the exerciser is fixedly mounted on a platform which is of a size sufficient to receive a wheelchair so that a wheelchair confined person can have the benefits of the device.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the exerciser includes a fully protective housing extending from the top of the drive mechanism to the bottom supporting platform, with the housing including upper and lowr telescoping portions. The upper housing portion, together with its internal mechanism, is pivotable relative to the lower housing portion to provide fore-and-aft adjustment of the upper crank arms.